Ollie Watkins

[German James]

His finishing is average , he misses far too many big chances . His overall game makes up for some of it .

I think that's a perfect assessment.

[brontebilly]

I know he was just on but that first miss was so bad. Second one, at least he got a clean strike on it but it's another one on one missed. The stats on his missed chances must be off the scale this season?

Rashford scored twice yesterday so likely will be pressure on him to start down the middle. Really hard job on how to accommodate Ramsey, Rogers, Asensio, Rashford, Watkins into a coherent team. McGinn for me simply has to play on the right v Brighton to give us balance in midfield. Dropping Watkins would be a massive call, he has played pretty well in our recent PL games away from home. Scored v Brentford, assist v Palace (and one of very few to play well that day), scored v Arsenal. Think you have to start him really and it's two of Ramsey, Rogers, Asensio and Rashford.

[London Villan]

Watkins is Unais' first choice - I expect him and McGinn to start on Wednesday.

[LeeB]

Watkins always scores against Brighton, I'd be starting him.

[Clampy]

Watkins always scores against Brighton, I'd be starting him.

Yes, I was thinking that yesterday. He's got a decent record against them, unless he leaves Rashford in now he's off the mark.

[Dante Lavelli]

Watkins always scores against Brighton, I'd be starting him.

Yes, I was thinking that yesterday. He's got a decent record against them, unless he leaves Rashford in now he's off the mark.

Rashford didn't impress me playing as a striker - didn't hold up play or stretch them behind - so I'd be playing Watkins, and even Malen, first. 
He's looked more than decent as a winger though and provides squad depth across all the attacking positions.

[Dave]

He's looked more than decent as a winger though and provides squad depth across all the attacking positions.

A quick browse of Brighton's forums, they're missing their first and second choice right-backs through injury, plus Milner who you'd expect would then fit in there.

So they're playing a 19 year old midfielder at right-back, Hinshelwood. I'd be all over letting Rashford run at that from the left.

[OCD]

Webster should be out as well.

[Dave]

He is, their manager confirmed it earlier.

[LeeB]

Damn, he gash.

[Dave]

Damn, he gash.

Although they'll be replacing him with a been-injured-for-the-last-two-months Lewis Dunk, not Franco Baresi. So it's probably fine.

[OCD]

Webster had been doing a good job while Dunk had been out. Disrupts them at centre back just in time. Plus, playing 120 minutes they should be more tired and after losing the shootout may be mentally weary too.

[Martyn Smith]

OK I only saw the MOTD highlights and wasn't able to follow any commentary, so that's all I have to go on. But from what I saw it looks like Ollie's biggest contribution tonight was getting out of the way of Asensio's goal. And I can't help but think that is an apt metaphor. I would be looking at signing all three of our January loan signings permanently, especially the two forwards, and for that, to keep FFP happy we will surely have to sell. And with that, this summer would appear to be the time to let Ollie go for a tidy sum to, possibly, see his top flight career out at the team he supported as a kid

[PaulWinch again]

I wouldn’t be writing off the importance of Ollie just yet.Notwithstanding his importance off the ball since the start of Feb he’s got 4 goals and an assist. It’s not like he’s stopped being really important.

[simboy]

OK I only saw the MOTD highlights and wasn't able to follow any commentary, so that's all I have to go on. But from what I saw it looks like Ollie's biggest contribution tonight was getting out of the way of Asensio's goal. And I can't help but think that is an apt metaphor. I would be looking at signing all three of our January loan signings permanently, especially the two forwards, and for that, to keep FFP happy we will surely have to sell. And with that, this summer would appear to be the time to let Ollie go for a tidy sum to, possibly, see his top flight career out at the team he supported as a kid

Why would one of our rivals, who have, over the past umpteen years been better than us want to buy a player not good enough for our team, despite them scoring more goals than us ... and, if he is good enough for our team, why would we want to sell one of our starting players to a team we aspire to be better than?